NBCUniversal channels could reportedly go dark on YouTube TV at the end of September; Monumental Sports Network could be headed towards a blackout; and Kyle Lowry is joining Amazon’s Prime Video as an NBA analyst. Plus news on NFL Sunday Ticket, the “New Heights” podcast, Broadcasters Foundation of America and New York Islanders.
NBCU channels could reportedly go dark on YouTube TV
Less than a month after reaching a deal renewal with Fox Corp. amid concerns over a blackout at the start of football season, YouTube TV finds itself heading towards another potential dispute — this with NBCUniversal. The current carriage deal between the OTT streaming platform and NBCUniversal expires at the end of September, and there is a chance that the networks could end up going dark for users. Alex Sherman of CNBC was the first to report the news Thursday morning.
YouTube TV, which per Sherman has 10 million subscribers, is said to be viewing itself as a “major player in the distribution game” and is seeking to be treated as such via lower rates for the NBCUniversal suite of networks. Sherman wrote that executives at YouTube TV “haven’t been thrilled” with the pricing of Peacock, which has 41 million subscribers of its own, and that the service has diminished the wholesale value of the NBCUniversal cable bundle. Per Sherman, that is one of the reasons Peacock increased its price over the summer.
As it pertains to NBCUniversal, Sherman reported that some executives at the company “view YouTube skeptically” because a blackout resulting in cancellations could drive users to the traditional YouTube platform. Sherman: “In other words, it’s easy for YouTube TV to take a hardline stance because any degradation in traditional TV ultimately benefits Big YouTube (the free service), even if it means YouTube TV — the digital cable bundle — loses customers.” YouTube will be offering subscribers a $10 credit if a blackout lasts “for an extended period of time.”
In addition to the NBCUniversal situation, Sherman said YouTube TV will need to “nail down” a deal with The Walt Disney Company toward the end of next month. Disney networks were previously blacked out on YouTube TV in December 2021, marking the service’s first such outage at the time. Access was restored when a new deal was reached a few days later.
Monumental RSN at risk of blackouts on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV
Monumental Sports Network could go dark on both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV prior to the start of the Washington Wizards and Capitals seasons and the distributors have shown “a lack of meaningful engagement,” the RSN’s GM Friday Abernethy said in a statement Thursday. Notably, Abernethy pinned the blame not just on the distributors themselves, but on a “broader crisis in the pay-TV industry” — specifically accusing Google-owned YouTube TV and Disney-owned Hulu of giving preferential treatment to the Comcast-owned NBC RSNs over “independent, locally owned networks like Monumental.”
“It is no coincidence that the only distributors that are moving to drop the games fans love are part of a group of streaming providers — like Hulu, YouTube TV, and Fubo — that are purposefully pursuing a strategy that shapes the future market for sports rights for their own corporate benefit — not for the benefit of D.C sports fans,” Abernethy said in a statement on Thursday. “Monumental remains committed to offering fair and reasonable terms to keep our network on YouTube TV and Hulu so that our programming is available to as many viewers as possible.”
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are carrying NBCUniversal-owned regional sports networks, and Monumental has asked to be valued in the same matter. The RSN was previously known as NBC Sports Washington before Monumental Sports & Entertainment acquired the remaining 67% majority stake held by NBCUniversal in 2022.
Lowry to join Prime Video in analyst role while active player
Six-time NBA All-Star Kyle Lowry has joined Amazon’s Prime Video as an analyst while he is an active player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Lowry will be making select appearances on the studio program throughout the season and will take on greater responsibilities in the future. The point guard has been playing in the NBA since 2006, primarily for the Toronto Raptors, and he won a gold medal while he was a member of the U.S. national team at the 2016 Olympic Games. He is entering his third year with the 76ers organization and is currently signed to a one-year contract with the team.
“I’m excited to start the next chapter of my basketball journey with the Prime Sports team,” Lowry said in a statement. “The talent they’ve assembled is incredible, and together we’ll deliver something fresh and special for basketball fans worldwide. It’s an honor to be part of this from day one, and I’m committed to sharing the insights I’ve gained from my career through NBA on Prime for years to come.”
Lowry is the latest talent addition to the NBA on Prime roster. The streamer’s studio show will be hosted by Taylor Rooks, with analysts including Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Udonis Haslem and John Wall. Steve Nash, Candace Parker and Dwyane Wade are also contributing to the studio show while also serving as in-game analysts on select NBA broadcasts throughout the season.
As previously noted, Amazon announced on Tuesday that Swin Cash, Rudy Gay, Jim Jackson and JayDee Dyer are joining its roster ahead of the new season. Earlier in the week, Sports Media Watch learned that play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan will be calling a limited number of games prior to January as he continues his NFL responsibilities with CBS Sports and Westwood One.
Plus: NFL Sunday Ticket, ‘New Heights,’ Broadcasters Foundation of America, New York Islanders
- NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV currently has between 2 million and 5 million subscribers, according to Alex Sherman of CNBC. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told Sherman in an interview that there are many different directions the relationship with YouTube will go and that “Sunday Ticket has been a huge hit for them as well as for us.”
- Select episodes of the “New Heights” podcast hosted by brothers Travis and Jason Kelce became available to stream on Prime Video in the United States on Wednesday. The move takes place shortly after Amazon reorganized its audio operations and formed a Creator Services team within the organization led by Matt Sandler.
- The Broadcasters Association of America has added Radio Advertising Bureau president/CEO Mike Hulvey and Audacy chief business officer Chris Oliviero to its board of directors. The nonprofit organization headed by former ESPN New York 98.7 and ESPN LA 710 GM Tim McCarthy includes NAB president/CEO Curtis LeGeyt, Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor and Nexstar Media Group chairman/president/CEO Perry Sook and several other media executives on its board of directors as well.
- The New York Islanders organization has announced that play-by-play announcer Alan Fuehring will be featured on radio broadcasts this season, succeeding the duo of Chris King and Greg Picker after 12 years on the airwaves. Longtime forward Josh Bailey is also contributing to radio in addition to working on ‘AltCast’ presentations with former teammate Cal Clutterbuck during select nationally televised games.
A previous version of this article indicated NBCUniversal executives “haven’t been thrilled” with the pricing of Peacock. This has been corrected to reflect that YouTube executives were said to have this sentiment.
